October 26 - November 1, 2014

Sunday:  Crock Pot Honey BBQ Meatloaf with Steamed Veggies

Crock Pot Honey BBQ Meatloaf

·          Our family fave in a crock pot!  Why have I never thought of this before??  I prepared the meatloaf as I always do (recipe here), but this time I lined my crockpot with a couple of layers of foil and placed the loaf in.  I cooked it on low for about 4 hours.  When we arrived home after church, it was ready and delicious!  To make things even simpler, I made a bag of the microwave steam veggies, and our meal was all set in no time.  Because I lined the crock pot with foil, clean up was also a breeze.  It also made great leftovers for my lunch for a couple of days!

Monday:  Baked Buttermilk Chicken with Pesto Potatoes & Green Beans

Baked Buttermilk Chicken

·          I made this quite a long time ago and recently came upon the recipe (from Group Recipes) again.  This time, I decided to make my own homemade version on Cream of Mushroom Soup! 

I’ll just say that I will ABSOLUTELY make cream of mushroom soup from scratch again.  It was so flavorful and delicious all on its own…not to mention how tasty it was in this dish.  I feel a little silly for being afraid to try it before.  I actually had some fresh mushrooms frozen that I thawed a bit before dicing up, sautéing with diced onion and then adding to the soup.  For those of you who don’t like mushrooms, this soup would be good without them….the flavors of the butter and onion would be wonderful on their own.  In reading the comments, this recipe for cream soup also seems adaptable for those families on a gluten free or dairy free diet.

Pesto Potatoes

·          I diced up red potatoes into bite-sized pieces and then tossed them in a bowl with some prepared pesto (storebought J).  Then I roasted them in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  I tossed them around and roasted them for an additional 12 minutes or so, until they were golden brown on the edges.

Tuesday:  Breakfast for Dinner! 

Wednesday:  Baked Tacos with Green Salad

Baked Tacos

·          I’ve made these a couple of times, and we always enjoy them!  This time I did make the homemade taco shells as she (Jillee) suggests.  Thankfully I remembered to line the bottom rack of my oven with foil because the taco shells will drip a little bit as they are cooking….so don’t forget!  I’ve done it in the past with store-bought shells, as well as with both homemade and store-bought taco seasoning…we like them however they are prepared.  These are really great tacos for kids as the mixture stays stuck inside the shell instead of falling all over the place!  As a default, I made a green salad again.  It’s an easy way to have veggies on our plates that the kids will eat.  J

Thursday:  Dinner at Mom’s

·          Chad had a work dinner, but the kids and I didn’t just pine away while he was out…we had a pumpkin decorating party at Nonnie’s!

Friday:  Halloween!!  J

·          Our kids have been so excited for Halloween!!  My mom and Chad’s parents came over for dinner and trick-or-treating, so I made BBQ Pork in the crock pot…easy peasey!

Saturday:  Family Day at the Lake with Our Church

October 19-25, 2014

Sunday:  Turkey, Swiss, & Pear Paninis with Spinach Salad

·          These are a delicious and easy dinner option that we all enjoy.  I use blackberry preserves as the sauce inside, and it’s so yummy!

Monday:  Crock Pot Mozzarella Pesto Chicken with Salad and Bread

Crock Pot Mozzarella Pesto Chicken

·          Chad went dove hunting, so this was a great dinner that would be ready for all of us whenever we were ready to eat.  It’s also incredibly simple!  (Just A Pinch)

Tuesday:  Fish Tacos

·          Ranger had a baseball game at 6:00, so we needed an easy dinner that the kids and I could eat early, and Chad could eat once we were back home.  I made some tilapia and we all had tacos.  I topped the fish with spring salad, fresh yellow bell peppers, balsamic dressing, and feta cheese.  It was fast and easy to make them again for Chad once we were back home after the game.  J

Wednesday:  Dinner Out

Thursday:  Dinner at Mom’s

·          Chad was out of town, so the kids and I had dinner and stayed the night with my mom. 

Friday:  Pasta Bolognese with Salad & Bread

Pasta Bolognese

·          I’ve made this recipe from our Uncle Jerry and Aunt Hosannah many times, and one of my favorite things about it is that it is so freezable!  So, on nights like this one, I easily pulled some sauce out of the freezer, thawed it, then warmed it slowly on the stovetop.  I boiled fresh pasta, made a green salad, and broiled a little bread with olive oil and garlic salt.  It makes a tasty, healthy dinner in no time!

Saturday:  White Chicken Enchiladas with Rice & Salad

White Chicken Enchiladas

·          I found this recipe on Pinterest last year some time, and we loved it the first time I made it!  I had totally forgotten about it until going back through some old blog posts.  Verdict is…we still love it.  J  I actually made the kids their own chicken burritos by just baking some tortillas with only chicken and cheese inside and then a little bit of butter on the tortilla.  I baked these in a separate pan from the enchiladas for about half the time.  The kids aren’t really that “saucy,” and just having these as baked burritos made it extremely kid friendly.  To make things even more simple, I used a rotisserie chicken.

October 12-18, 2014

Sunday:  Taco Soup & Cornbread

Taco Soup

·          This recipe is from one of my mom’s friends, Pat.  It’s my favorite taco soup recipe, and it’s so incredibly easy!  This time, I used ground turkey because it’s what I had on hand.  This can be made quickly on the stovetop, or in the crock pot more slowly, which is what I did.  I browned the meat and then placed everything on low in the crockpot while we were at church.  J

1.5 – 2 lbs ground beef or turkey, browned and drained

½ diced onion, sautéed with meat

3 cans stewed tomatoes with juice

2 cans pinto beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 can Rotel

1 can mild chopped green chilies

1 package taco seasoning

1 package Ranch dressing mix

Mix together and simmer.  Serve with tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour cream, and any other of your favorite toppings.

Monday:  Rotisserie Chicken, Roasted Broccoli, & Biscuits

·          We had a busy day, so I picked up a rotisserie chicken from Costco.  I added in some fresh roasted broccoli and hot biscuits, and we all enjoyed a tasty meal.

Tuesday:  Spinach & Mozzarella Ravioli Chicken Bake with Spinach Salad & Whole Wheat Bread

Spinach & Mozzarella Ravioli Chicken Bake

·          I had some rotisserie chicken leftover from the night before.  I keep frozen spinach and mozzarella ravioli in the freezer for an easy pasta meal like this one!

Place frozen ravioli in a single layer of a greased baking dish (whatever size you choose for you family).  Top the ravioli with chicken (or any protein of your choice) and pour over pasta sauce.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove foil, top with parmesan and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Wednesday:  Dinner at Mom’s  J

Thursday:  Pizza Night

Friday:  Island Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Asparagus & Sweet Potatoes

Island Pork Tenderloin

·          Chad was out hunting this evening, so I actually made the kids breakfast for dinner (spinach egg scramble, bacon, toast, and fruit), and then I made dinner for the two of us to eat when he arrived home.  This is an incredibly simple and flavorful pork tenderloin.  The spices would have been too hot for my kids, but Chad and I both thoroughly enjoyed it.  If the kids had eaten this also, I could have just given them the inside of the tenderloin, as it wasn’t the spicy part.  I roasted asparagus and diced sweet potatoes to go along with our meal.  Yum!  (Recipe courtesy of Little B Cooks)

Saturday:  Grilled Dove, Hunters’ Rice, & Pear Walnut Salad

·          Chad has been hunting quite a bit lately, and we have a freezer with a good amount of dove in it now!  He wanted to have a big meal and invite over a few of his hunting buddies, and my mom came over too!  All I did was make a big green salad with pears and walnuts.  Chad took care of the rest!

October 5-11, 2014

(Apparently, I declared this the week of the crock pot!)

Sunday:  Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops with Rice and Spinach Salad

Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

·          These are so delicious and so EASY!  I put them in my crock pot around 6:45am, and when we returned home from church around 12:15, they were perfect!  This recipe came from StockPilingMom.com, and I altered it only slightly.  Instead of pork chops, I used thick-cut turkey chops.  They were so moist and tender.  I served ours over a packet of brown rice and quinoa that I buy from Costco with a spinach salad.  Chad went back for seconds!  We didn’t even stop long enough so I could take a picture.

It does call for a can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup, and I know many people now are avoiding them.  I don’t cook with canned cream soups often, so it doesn’t bother me to use them on occasion.  This recipe is so easy, fast, and delicious, I would recommend everyone try to find an alternative soup option just so they can enjoy this dish!  There are gluten free, organic, and homemade cream soup options if you so choose.  J

Monday:  Slow Cooker Quinoa & Sweet Potato Fajitas

Slow Cooker Quinoa & Sweet Potato Fajitas

·          This dish is so simple, and so yummy.  But, I’ll warn you…it makes a TON!  So, if you have a large family, this will be plenty…and if you have a small family, you’ll have leftovers for days.  J  I love that it was all together in one crock pot.  It was easy to add some fresh tortillas and, cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.  (Thanks to Chelsea’s Messy Apron!)  Chad was gone for several days later this week, and these leftovers fed me very well.  J

Tuesday:  Leftovers

Wednesday: Mummy Dogs, Monster Teeth, & Goblin Salad

·          When Daddy’s away, the little monsters will play…and eat!  (And yes…I did put a couple of candy corns on their salads.  J )

Thursday:  Turkey, Cheese, Fruit, & Zucchini Muffins

Zucchini Muffins

·          These little muffins have rounded out many meals for my little rascals over the years.  I always keep a batch in the freezer to pull out as a healthy addition to our plates.  It's a really forgiving recipe, so feel free to add different things.  I usually add even more veggies. 

3 eggs

1 mashed banana

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tbsp vanilla

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup of another shredded veggie

1 cup sugar

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup whole oats

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix eggs, banana, applesauce, vanilla, and veggies.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes for mini muffins.

Friday:  Dinner & a Movie with Nonnie

Saturday:  Slow Cooker Asian Style Country Ribs with Rice and Stir Fry Veggies

Slow Cooker Asian Style Country Ribs

·          I was so looking forward to trying this recipe, and it did not disappoint.  I didn’t even remember to marinate the ribs the night before, as the recipe suggests.  I just put everything in the crock pot and turned it on.  The meat was tender and full of flavor.  About an hour before we ate, I topped the meat with some fresh snow peas and broccoli.  I spooned just a little bit of the sauce over the vegetables and put the lid back on the crock pot to cook the vegetables.  When it was time to eat, I topped rice with the ribs, broccoli, and snow peas, and dinner was served!

September 28 - October 4, 2014

Sunday:  Pizza with Small Group

Monday:  Turkey, Apple, & Swiss Paninis with Spinach Salad

·          Chad had a softball game at 6:30, so he took the boys with him.  I needed to have a dinner that was easy to make for all of us at different times.  We had some yummy, whole wheat bread from the bakery that I didn’t want to waste.  So, I made paninis!  I buttered the outside of two slices of bread.  In the middle I spread a layer of blackberry preserves on one side.  Then I topped it with turkey, thinly sliced apples, and Swiss cheese.  I grilled them on the stovetop between to skillets.  They were delish!  I served them with a spinach salad.

Tuesday:  Rotisserie Chicken with Caesar Salad

·          Ranger had a 7:00 baseball game, so my mom brought over an easy dinner of rotisserie chicken and Caesar salad from Costco.

Wednesday:  Turkey & Spinach Lasagna, Spinach Salad, and Bread

·          I wasn’t feeling very well, so having a lasagna in the freezer saved our dinner on this evening.  J

Thursday:  Breakfast for Dinner:  Eggs, Bacon, Whole Wheat Toast, and Fruit

Friday:  Dinner Out with My Mom

Saturday:  Daddy Night – Hot Dogs & Fruit!

·          I had dinner out with some girlfriends, so Daddy was in charge!

September 21-27, 2014

This week was a little different, in that we had several evening activities this week.  So, our menu was very simple, basic, and fast.  :-)

Sunday:  Dinner with Our Small Group


Monday:  Sweet & Spicy Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Broccoli and Carrots

Sweet & Spicy Pork Tenderloin
  This is a delicious slow cooker dish that takes about 3 minutes to put together.  Place a pork tenderloin in your slow cooker.  Then, top with half a jar of apricot preserves and half a bottle of a sweet and spicy sauce.  I chose the Sweet Chili Pineapple from Target.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  That's it!  I served ours with roasted veggies and warm, whole wheat toast!


Tuesday:  Daddy in Charge!
  I had a ladies night with our church, so Chad was in charge!  He made hot dogs.  :-)


Wednesday:  Grilled BBQ Sausage with Homemade Macaroni & Cheese and Spinach Salad


Thursday:  Grilled Chicken with Sauteed Zucchini and Macaroni & Cheese


Friday:  Sliders with Sweet Potato Fries


Saturday:  Date Night!
  Chad and I went out, and the kids stayed with Chad's sister and her family.  Everyone was happy!

September 14-20, 2014

Sunday:  Roast, Potatoes, Carrots, Spinach Salad, and Bread

·          We had some friends over after church, so I made roast!

Monday:  Honey BBQ Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots

Honey BBQ Turkey Meatloaf

·          We haven’t had this favorite in a while, and we just love it!  I can throw everything together in less than 10 minutes and then put it in the fridge.  About an hour before we are ready to eat, I can preheat the oven and throw it in, and after adding veggies, our dinner is ready!

Tuesday:  Sweet Chili Lime Chicken with Cilantro CousCous and Roasted Broccoli

Sweet Chili Lime Chicken with Cilantro CousCous

·          This is an easy and flavorful dinner we all enjoy.  It’s actually one of the very first recipes I ever pinned on Pinterest (from Grumpy’s Honey Bunch blog).  The lime and cilantro flavors are amazing, and adding just a bit of red pepper flakes gives the dish a little zing!  (If you don’t have kids, you might add more red pepper.)  This is a great meal for a busy day because it can be done in under 30 minutes, easily.  J  The couscous can be a bit messy with kids, so you’ve been warned!

Wednesday:  My Birthday Dinner!  (Mommy did not cook!)

Thursday:  Basil Pesto Tilapia, French Fries, Spinach Salad

·          Thursday night Ranger has tball practice, so I need a meal that I can eat with Callen and Payton early, and then feed Ranger and Chad when they arrive back home.  Nights like this always make me thankful for Costco! 

Friday:  Mommy, Callen, and Payton Date Night

·          Chad and Ranger went on an evening dove hunt, so I took my other 2 sweeties out for a little Chick-fil-a date.  J

Saturday:  Grilled Venison Kabobs with Roasted Veggies and Toast

·          We had our last venison meal from the deer Chad shot last year.  This meat was back strap, and I think it’s my favorite cut of deer meat.  Chad seasoned it and grilled it on kabobs with yellow and orange sweet peppers, while I roasted asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and carrots inside.  We had a movie night picnic with the kids and watched “101 Dalmations.”